“UNA NOCHE” TAKES THREE AT TRIBECA AWARDS

The Tribeca Film Festival announced the winners of its world cinema awards for narrative and documentary, and Lucy Mulloy’s Cuba-set drama Una Noche was a recurring presence among the prize winners. Una Noche‘s male leads, Dariel Arrechada and Javier Nuñez Florian, shared the Best Actor prize, the film’s d.p.’s, Trevor Forrest and Shlomo Godder, took Best Cinematography for their gorgeous visuals on the film, and Mulloy herself won Best New Narrative Director.

In presenting the latter award, the jury — largely made up of actors, including Camilla Belle, Whoopi Goldberg and Leelee Sobieski — gave the following comments: “Lucy Mulloy’s Una Noche rang the bell inside all of our little director hearts. We simply thought the film was awesome, and it only grew in our esteem as we spoke of it after. It is a film that immediately connects any audience member it can find to the undeniable, hopeful, and naïve intentions of the young. It is so rich in its motivations, and so breathtaking in its outcomes, it is thoughtful and entertaining in perfect balance. Mulloy pulled us through social portrait to family drama, to true crime, to thriller, all with skill, grace, the realized intent of a sophisticated filmmaker, and deep love for humanity. So, Lucy, we would like you to accept the 2012 Best New Narrative Director award, and please consider us for your next picture.”

The other multiple award-winner last night was, interestingly, another narrative shot by an English-speaking director in a foreign country: War Witch, Canadian director Kim Nguyen’s feature about a pregnant teenage child soldier in the Congo. The film took home both the Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature and Best Actress for its lead, Rachel Mwanza.

The full list of winners was as follows:

World NARRATIVE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – War Witch, directed by Kim Nguyen(Canada).

Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Dariel Arrechada and Javier Nuñez Florian as Raul and Elio in Una Noche, directed by Lucy Mulloy (UK, Cuba, USA).

Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Rachel Mwanza as Komona in War Witch, directed by Kim Nguyen (Canada).

Best Cinematography in a Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Trevor Forrest and Shlomo Godder, for Una Noche, directed by Lucy Mulloy (UK, Cuba, USA).

Special Jury Mention – Alex Catalan for Unit 7.

Best Screenplay for a Narrative Feature Film – All In (La Suerte en Tus Manos), written by Daniel Burman and Sergio Dubcovsky and directed by Daniel Burman (Argentina).